People argue that baseball is no fun, boring, jacked-up, or a number of other things. But baseball has always had a soft spot in my heart, and this illustrates why.

I can't think of any other sport where the crowd and the players interact on a closer, more personal level. The pace of the game, the separation of the defensive players, the isolation of the offensive players all are designed to do one thing: freak each and every player out.

Imagine, you're in centerfield, there's a runner on first who has been threatening to steal for two batters, now, and nobody is really paying him much attention anymore. There's two outs, it'd be ridiculous for him to run. So you're spacing a little. Starting to think about how thirsty you are. And you're fading despite constant reminders to yourself to concentrate. It's tough.

It's a game that takes a hell of a lot of focus, and that's why baseball hecklers are the most famous in all of pro sports. They are a huge distraction when you're on the field all alone. And this is the best response to heckling that I've ever seen. Well played, Vernon Wells. Well played, indeed.

Followup on the Vernon Wells Heckler Ball - A Home Run Derby Exclusive: